


The Goddess and The Temple

by MadamePhuPhu



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Implied/Referenced Cheating, One-Sided Attraction, Romance, Seifer is an asshole, Sexual Content, Suicidal Thoughts, Super canon on that front
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-18 13:49:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15487206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadamePhuPhu/pseuds/MadamePhuPhu
Summary: The Goddess cannot be worshiped without The Temple and yet The Temple confines her.





	1. Requiem

**Author's Note:**

> Pretend that I'm someone who has not played FFVIII and has only read the plot on Wikipedia-- in fact, don't pretend.
> 
> This is an alternate universe in which Ultemecia wins the big fight and is undisputed ruler of the world. Set in a medieval type era with all the courtly rules and regulations in tact.

The tall, dark knight towered over you-- eyes glowing from beneath his helmet. You stared right back with a hatred and an anger in your eyes that in your short traumatic life went unparalleled. You cradled the body of Squall, your friend and comrade. You were sure he was alive if only barely and this enemy who stood before you was sure to cut you both down. 

 

The adversary still stood, unmoving and silent. Squall stirred. "...M-Mina-- I can't feel my legs..." his voice was harsh and sounded garbled. He no doubt had blood in his throat and strained when he tried to move. You held him closer and tighter. "If you want to win this war now is your chance." you said lowly. Never a woman of many words, you felt that not speaking would result in this person just standing and staring at you until both you and Squall succumbed to your injuries.  
"Seifer." you whispered. "You will have us suffer?"

 

Seifer removed his helm and tucked it under his arm. This man-- the object of your desires and your closest friend and lover had deserted the rebellious cause against the time witch Ultemecia. Heartbroken and vehemently furious with him-- you refused to join him and stayed behind though you knew the fight was one that couldn't be won. You gazed into the face of the man you loved-- blood dripping from the cut over your eye and down your face. 

 

"No, baby." Seifer said, kneeling down in front of you putting his hand to your face and moving a disheveled black lock from it. "I think to let you live."  
You yanked your face from him and shielded Squall from him. You weren't sure what he would do. You used to think you knew who he was but he let darkness consume him. He wasn't your Seifer anymore-- just a lieutenant in Ultemcia's unstoppable army. 

 

Seifer grabbed you violently and you screamed with such pain you thought you might faint. Squall's body fell to the ground and he let out an involuntary cry, feeling a warm puddle of his won blood pool around him quickly. Your left arm was already broken in 3 places and Seifer just broke it more. He held you tightly and buried his face in your hair. "I missed you Illuminas." You pushed against him and flailed trying to take a look at Squall. 

 

"As for you, Leonhart..."

 

Your pulse quickened and your breathing became labored. You had sustained a stomach wound-- a very large one after trying to protect a friend from a missile. Blood dripped down your legs and your vision left you. Seifer chuckled darkly. “You're not even worth my blade.” He said, looking down at the body of his old rival, cocking his gunblade. You struggled again your lover's tight grip. “No...no!” you managed to rasp out in wanton desperation. But your pleas were unheard.  
Your blood ran cold as Seifer pulled the trigger, wiping out the life force of the man you followed into hell and high water. He was gone in that instant, blood pooling behind his head, the bullet hole in his forehead steaming. Your breath was heavy as you consciousness slipped away. The fight was over in your mind and you were ready to surrender yourself to the void. 

 

As darkness consumed you-- you would pray for death, and it will not come no matter how you begged. Because he was Death and Death would have his bride.


	2. Awakening

You awoke to a dimly lit room. The walls and floors were made of a grayish brown stone and the bed you lay in was large with golden posts and a royal purple canopy. Fear instilled itself in your stomach. Were you to be kept as a prisoner? A test subject? Someone's concubine? To say that you were displeased to be alive was a vast understatement.  
You strained to sit upright to better assess your situation, only to double back down in pain. You looked at your stomach which was tightly bandaged and bleeding . “Fuck.” you hissed to yourself. Your eyes widened to see a figure rise from a large chair in the shadows. You raised your hands, ready to attack only to wince at the sharp pain that shot through your broken arm.

 

Seifer stepped from the dark corner. “Thank gods, you're awake." 

 

You watched him very carefully, but there was nothing about his body language said he wanted to hurt you. Of course thoguh you had been wrong about him before. "The physician said you might have to lose the arm... You fought with it broken for so long.”  
You looked down at your appendage. Dried blood and yellow stains from pus no doubt caked on the bandage in the affected area. You said nothing, only seethed.  
Seifer sat next to you and when you tensed at his closeness he sighed. "I know that you want answers.”

 

"You killed our friends." 

 

He huffed and looked skyward. "Illuminas." You were unmoved. His desire to rationalize to you his reasons for killing the people that you both grew up with was lost on you. He had allowed himself to be seduced by power. It was disgusting. You felt as if you didn't know him. It was the ultimate betrayal. Seifer had always been a scoundrel and the villain in everyone's story,but you never believed him to be so low to accept strength wherever it lay. 

 

He reached out to touch your face and you turned away sharply. His face twisted in anger. "This is how you repay me for keeping you out of the dungeons? For saving your life?"  
"You mean to keep me here as your slave." you growled, heat rising from your face.

 

He stood from the bed and grabbed your chin, forcing it upward. Your fuchsia eyes met his. "I love you. And whether you like it or not-- your cause was weak -- I saved you from dying for something not worthy of you."

 

His eyes softened. "You're a goddess. Not a martyr."

 

Your pulse quickened in spite of your anger. You still loved him as bad as that was given the circumstances. You would still swim a sea of glass for him. He was the only one you truly felt close to in the world, despite how you tried with others. His worst qualities-- his arrogance and brutish nature are what drew you to him. He was one of the few people who could tolerate and even enjoy your large and intimidating aura. 

 

You were staring at him, a far away look in your eyes. He tilted his head and dropped your chin. "I really am sorry about what happened to the others. But I would kill them a thousand times over if it meant you would live. I want you to be by my side.” He rose from his place next to you and straightened himself. “You may stay here in my quarters until you're better.” he continued. “But you may not leave the castle."

 

“I will leave or I will die.” you spat, defiantly. Seifer smiled, which surprised you. Narrowing your eyes at him he turned to take his leave. “You will find the world is much different than it was before the war. It has never been my wish to rule you.”


	3. Get Out

Night was near and you had to be quick. You threw your legs across the bed and gently placed your bare feet on the stone floor. There could be no sound. The moon was your only light as you silently exited your chamber. With complete ignorance of the castle's layout, how many guards there were and what posts they took, you cautiously and slowly made your way about the labyrinth that was Ultemecia's domain. 

 

Cold and harsh wind blew through the arrow holes and open windows, making you shiver involuntarily. The lack of guards which might have worried you any other time, but tonight-- your mind was on escape.

 

It didn't matter to you that it might take hours and that you only had the cover of night on your side. If anything, you at least hoped, that they would kill you for your transgression should you fail to get out.

 

In curiosity, you turned to look out of one of the large glass-less windows.

 

As you beheld the razed, barren land you faltered. Was death out there more welcome than death inside the kingdom of your enemy? Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, hopelessness washing over you, then panic as you felt two heavy hands on your shoulders. 

 

“I did not mean to show you this way. Though I'm sure,” Seifer's voice began and he caressed you tenderly. “That this doesn't surprise you.” 

“What did you do...?!” 

Seifer furrowed his brows. He didn't like the sound of hysteria in your voice. “Come back inside.” he said slowly, trying and failing to pull you back to him. 

 

Your eyes darted from east to west seeing the hundreds of disembodied heads on pikes. Some so decomposed that it was impossible to tell who they used to be. Before you heard yourself, you felt the scream rip from your throat, scalding. There were no trees, no grass, only heads. Like a macabre garden. The moon was black and menacing, the field of heads merely a silhouette against the blood red horizon.

 

Seifer grabbed you and yanked your crumbling form back to the castle gates. His forcefulness tore the stitches in your stomach which held it closed. Seifer cursed inwardly as hot blood poured liberally onto him. He placed his hands over the opened wound as blood soaked through your tunic.

 

As your vision blurred and your screams grew hollow, Seifer called for the physician, desperation in his cry. For a moment he felt that he had pushed the boundaries of your mind too far. He should never have let you see what he had wrought in the name of total power.


	4. Comatose

_You've been asleep for half a year. After I found you, I did not care what happened to the land or its people. All of it is gone. The orphanage, the Garden... everything. We set it all ablaze. There is no one to support Rinoa's cause anymore._

_She never liked you. She was never your friend. But I know you weren't fighting for her. You were fighting for him. You'll have to remind me to ask you why someday. I've always loved your fortitude and your loyalty. But he didn't deserve it. Not after choosing Rinoa over you so many times in the past..._

_You know, I always picked you. She was nothing against you, to me._

_Your hair has grown, but you look so gaunt. We shall soon see to that. You must not have had much food behind rebellious lines. We tried very hard to cut off you off from supplies._

_Ultemecia built her castle atop the Orphanage. There was a certain magick there that drew her to the place she told me. She has been so good to me. As her Knight, I have the best quarters in the castle and total control of the army. Like I've always wanted. And now I have you, my woman._

_Lately, I've taken up hunting. She can create vast forests full of game and foragable plants. She can't create actual meals though-- isn't that ironic?_

_Raijin and Fujin are well. They wanted to come and see you-- but I knew you would not like that. Perhaps when you wake we might have dinner with them or maybe do some sparring?_

 

He spoke into the darkness to your unconscious form that lay almost ritualistically on his large bed beneath the black moonlight. 

 

_It is so good to have you back with me. I wish things to be exactly as they were before the war. They can be. They will be. You just have to wake up. And I will wait. As long as you need-- I will be here when you arise._

 

He kissed your lips, feeling his heart sink when he found them cold. 

 

_I love you._

 

You were a foreign and forgotten princess from a land you couldn't remember. 

 

You ended up at Edea's orphanage on a curious morning. The sun was shining that day, but there was a violent storm in the sky. Rain fell heavy as rays cut through the clouds. At 4 years old you could hold your own in a fight. It was instinctual to you. Fighting was almost never necessary. Your peers found your eyes to be unnerving. A neon pink color-- was not one that was common in the land or any land that anyone could name. Your gaze made people avert their eyes. Adults were kind, yet careful. And children spoke in whispers when your back was turned.

 

Once you reached puberty people began to call you the "Forbidden Beauty". A nickname you did not appreciate. You were a taller girl with long black hair that was as straight as a pin and dark skin. 

 

It took a while for you to mingle in with everyone, but they soon came to accept your different appearance. Children were encouraged to spar with each other and most found it impressive you only used your hands. Later on, a blacksmith fashioned a pair of gauntlets that protected your hands and knuckles. They also had spikes on them to further damage. Rumor went that the gauntlets hurt much less than your fists and if they were taken off during a fight death was sure to come to your opponent.   
The first time you met Seifer, he was a dirty boy who loved fighting. He was a big bully to all the other children, and yet steered clear of you. It was more than once that you had to step between him and some other poor child that was getting a beating from him. You didn't like him, seeing his mindless anger and arrogance a little more than annoying. And yet, you did like him all the same.

 

He was nice to look at. With eyes like the deepest, calmest ocean. He had broad shoulders, nice hands and his arrogance could be passed as confidence. It wasn't all physical though. He was an asshole, but he was honest with himself about it. He knew of his flaws and did nothing to change it and did not deny it. It was something you enjoyed about him and also something you despised.

 

Loving him was a contradiction in many ways. 

 

And despite all he had done-- betrayed you, murdered the closest thing you'd ever had to a family--

 

_I love you too._


End file.
